Mobile phones are very popular globally, with over 6 billion subscribers. Mobile research utilizes smartphones and mobile technologies to understand behaviors and opinions in context. There are different approaches like SMS/text surveys, mobile optimized web surveys, web apps, and native apps, each with pros and cons. Engagement is key for mobile research as tasks need to be short but frequent to maintain participant interest over time. Mobile research works best combined with other methods and when focused on understanding moments in real-world contexts like decisions, shopping journeys, or reactions to events.

1. Mobile Research:
A good, even bake or a soggy bottom?
by Richard Owen and Niall Smith
Aura International Meeting
February 28th 2013

2. Agenda
The mobile context
The smartphone surge
The refreshing of research
The warts and all
The optimal approaches

3. Mobile phones are very
popular (duh)
6 billion subscribers = 87% of
world’s population
8 trillions texts sent in 2011
10% all internet traffic via mobile
(18% in Asia +192% since 2010;
15% in Africa)
Thanks to www.squareegggames.com for making my life easy

4. Fun with numbers
Thanks to www.squareegggames.com for making my life easy

5. Fun with numbers
Thanks to www.squareegggames.com for making my life easy

6. But what is “mobile”?
mo·bile [moh-buhl, -beel or, esp. British, -
bahyl]
pertaining to or noting a cell phone,
usually one with computing ability, or a
portable, wireless computing device used
while held in the hand, as in mobile
tablet; mobile PDA; mobile app . Rob Davis, Interactive Marketing
Director for Ogilvy

7. Mobile research, therefore…
Is not about putting an online survey
on a phone
Is about allowing people to use their
phones naturally to share information
and insight however they want,
wherever they want, whenever they
want

8. Amazing uses of mobile (1)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaaction/

9. Amazing uses of mobile (2)
Nathan Eagle working as a teacher in Kenya would
receive calls to donate blood urgently after road
accidents
Set up system to keep records of blood availability
by encouraging nurses to text in details of stock in
exchange for free airtime
Resulted in fewer blood emergencies and better
prospects for accident victims
http://www.jana.com/
Uses this idea of crowdsourcing
"microtasks" in exchange for airtime to
provide insight in around the world:

10. Many forms of mobile
research
SMS/text – survey questions sent via text,
one questions at a time
Mobile optimised web – online surveys
optimised for mobile devices
Web App – a browser survey made to look
and feel more like an app
Native App – surveys conducted on an app
downloaded from the phone’s store

11. SMS/Text Mobile web Web app Native app
Each has its pros and cons
Compatible with all
phones
Compatible with all
internet enabled
phones
Compatible with all
smartphones
Compatible with
most smartphones
Do not have access
to the full range of
question types.
All question types (as
long as you don’t use
flash)
All question types,
including drag and
drops, etc.
All question types,
including drag &
drops, etc.
Cannot use phone’s
multimedia features.
Cannot use phone’s
multimedia features.
Can use the majority
of a phone’s features.
Full use of the
phone’s features.
Hard work – only
suitable for very
short surveys.
Designed to be used
with a mouse and
keyboard – fiddly.
Emulating a native
app – so can feel
clunky and slow
Built for the specific
platform; it works the
way the user expects.
Requires a
connection to the
phone network.
Requires a 3G or wifi
connection.
Offline is possible,
but generally needs
3G or wifi.
Offline
Pros
Cons

12. SMS/Text Mobile web Web app Native app
Play to their strengths
True mobile research,
with great reach but
very limited
capability.
Surveys have to be
very short – no more
than 3-4 quick
questions max.
Good for in-house
automated customer
satisfaction surveys
after a touchpoint.
Not true mobile
research, just an
extension of online.
But an increasing
proportion of surveys
are completed on
tablets or
smartphones.
Therefore vital to
optimise online
surveys for mobile.
True mobile research,
with great coverage
of different devices…
…but a compromised
user experience.
Good for all kinds of
mobile research –
diaries, life logging,
media encounters,
shopper journeys,
etc.
True mobile research,
with an experienced
optimised for the
device…
…but not full the
coverage of other
approaches.
Great for all kinds of
mobile research –
diaries, life logging,
media encounters,
shopper journeys,
etc.

13. The growth of smartphones
We have already hit the
tipping point in the EU.
The majority of all mobile
phones are smartphones.
Very soon all new phones
will be smartphones.
Thanks to comscore and emarketer for making my life easy

14. Who has a smartphone?
High penetration of smartphones in
many countries, but not always the
ones you might expect.
High ownership amongst the under
50’s then tanks.
Broadly nat rep gender split, whether its UK or SA
Thanks to www.thinkwithgoogle.com for making my life easy
Android
dances on
Blackberry’s
grave?

15. CrowdLab Case Histories: Shopper
Journeys
Gathering feedback from people as they go about
their shopping lives:
Car buying journey – a week in the decision
process among people at different stages
Decorating journey – a month in the decision
process among people at different stages
Motor parts journey – a weekend thinking about
and recording all aspects of the search for motor parts
and project inspiration

16. Capture regular feedback from people on their habits
and routines:
A week in the life of mums – video/photo life logging
(pain vs. pleasure)
Women’s Inner and Outer Confidence – moments of
feeling good and feeling bad
Segment portraits - “a city tour” via photo diaries and
Google Maps
Emotions around “the bet” – thinking about it,
placing it, reflecting on it; what else in their life gives them
same thrills and spills?
CrowdLab Case Histories: Life Logging

17. Capturing encounters with, and response to,
advertising campaigns:
Pre and post tracking surveys around multi
media campaign; encounter tracking for key
period during campaign using mobile to record
experiences as they go about their lives, take
photo, record opinions
Qualitative pre-task to record all client brand
interactions – a photo of the interaction,
comments and a rating
CrowdLab Case Histories: Media
Encounters

18. Capture in situ feedback:
iPad exit surveys: NEC Gardening exhibition; 1000 visitors
and exhibitors; at a retailer – 400 interviews across 8 stores
over a week
iPad surveys at brand event: 150 interviews over 3 days
among active participants and passive observers
Research as part of CRM: At client’s tent at stadia, fans
entered “A Super Fan” contest. Questions to identify “fan
passion”, a pub quiz and video capture of fans displaying their
pride
CrowdLab Case Histories:
Event/Experiential Evaluation

19. What’s behind the curtain?
Client sample provision – can be like cold calling
Panel recruitment procedures – when to link to
mobile
Pre-during-post engagement – managing
incentives and drop offs
WiFi/3G connections at events – in situ
recruitment/download
Privacy/data protection issues – e.g. Germany
International fieldwork management – translations
and communication with participants

20. Don’t believe the hype
GPS data:
• Great for general location (I’m in Shepherd’s Bush
near Westfield), poor at precise location (I’m at the
Champagne Bar)
• Lag/delay – going underground can upload something
you have done on the tube but the GPS tag may be
still be where you got on
Geo-fencing:
• Patchy and a complex technology
• What really is its purpose? Could take a mission based
photo of you leaving a store with GPS proof
Pink is bad 3G coverage. The
majority of the UK is not in London
[That’s why we have total offline functionality]

21. Don’t believe the hype
Passive data collection is a problem:
• Cannot be done within Apple devices –
need to set up a proxy that reads traffic
(sort of)
• Secure internet services cannot be tracked
(e.g. any Google behaviour)
• The entire internet is going secure (so
within 6 to 12 months it will be impossible
anyway)
The Lives Of Others

22. Engagement is key
Think of this as a mobile community
Not 20 minutes in one sitting, but multiple short
tasks over a number of days / weeks
Vital to maintain interest over this time:
• Tasks must be engaging
• Expect larger incentives than online quant
• Give tasks a location or time context
• Make use of touchscreen, and media
capability

23. When not to mobile…
If its not about recording “in the
moment”, why does it need to be
mobile?
Not suitable for long brand tracking
studies (or any other long reflective
study)
Don’t expect mobile to be cheaper
than online

24. Use it for what it’s good for
As a stand alone, mobile is perfect for
projects which seek to understand a
moment in context
• Decision making
• Shopping journeys
• Reactions to a family meal (product
testing)
• Reactions to live event

25. We’re all in this together
• Mobile is not better, but it is
different
• We think it often works best in
conjunction with other
methods

26. • Use real life behaviours as
stimulus
• Get more from your work through
truly engaged participants –
improve value of other methods
• Keep the dialogue going with
reflective tasks back in the
real world
Refreshing Research

27. Thanks from the Lab
www.crowdlab.com
info@crowdlab.com
+44 (0) 759 046 2342